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While many social media platforms are designed to keep you scrolling for hours, TikTok is taking a different approach.
TikTok has become for most of us more than just an entertainment app; it's the leading destination for short-form mobile videos, where people come to learn, laugh, and express themselves.
But it doesn't stop there. TikTok is committed to building a healthier, safer digital space for everyone. The platform genuinely cares about your mental well-being and is now encouraging you to take breaks, rest, and reset when needed.
On Thursday, June 26th, TikTok held a Digital Well-being Summit in Johannesburg. At the summit, TikTok unveiled tools that place emotional health and screen-life balance at the heart of the user experience.
TikTok, embodying the role of a responsible social media platform, rolled out several new features aimed at supporting user well-being, especially for its growing community in Sub-Saharan Africa.
4 New Features On The TikTok App
1. Meditation Tool
This is designed to help users disconnect and recharge. TikTok’s new guided meditation feature was originally launched for teenagers as part of the Sleep Hours program, and it’s now open to all users. Mercy Kimaku, TikTok Regional Risk Prevention Lead - Sub-Saharan Africa, speaking on this feature said:
It helps users wind down and builds healthier sleep routines...over 90% of our teen users who tried it now return to it regularly.
Sleep Hours activates automatically at 10 p.m. for users under 18, encouraging screen breaks and mindful rest. Older users can enable it manually. The feature reflects TikTok's broader goal of fostering screen time balance and promoting healthier nighttime habits.
2. Family Pairing for Young Users
Young users face a lot of risks online, so TikTok introduced an enhanced Family Pairing feature that allows parents to guide their children’s experience on the platform. Parents can now help teens safely explore TikTok from content control to privacy settings. It ensures younger users enjoy the platform while parents remain actively involved in shaping a safer experience.
3. The Well-being Dashboard
Another key feature is TikTok’s Digital Well-being Dashboard. This tool shows users how much time they spend on the app, allowing them to set limits and receive reminders to take a break. Clarifying that this tool is not intended to push people off the app, Mercy said:
We're not trying to push people off TikTok, but we want to encourage responsible use, where users can also go outside, meet friends, or just be present offline.
Users can also enable screen-time break reminders, prompting them to take regular pauses during prolonged use and this is yet another step toward building healthier digital habits.
4. Promoting Kindness
Bullying and harassment are ongoing concerns across social platforms, and TikTok is investing in AI-powered moderation and community guideline enforcement to ensure a safer experience for all users. According to Mercy,
If a user reports bullying, we investigate. Depending on the severity, we may remove the content or suspend the account entirely. But beyond reacting, we are also preventing...
To prevent online bullying, TikTok has integrated AI-powered pop-up prompts that warn users when they’re about to post something hurtful.
If someone types a mean comment, they’ll get a gentle reminder like: This word is not kind. Can you choose something more positive?
Mercy explains that TikTok’s machine learning models have been trained to detect harmful language proactively, helping to reduce harassment and foster more respectful online interactions.
These new well-being tools are more than just features; they’re a commitment to building a safe, empathetic, and enjoyable space for all users, especially in growing markets across Africa. Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, Director of Public Policy & Government Relations - Sub-Saharan Africa, summarised it thus:
Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy, but joy is only possible when people feel safe. That’s why we’re constantly building tools, investing in communities, and working with professionals to make TikTok a platform people can trust and enjoy.
At the heart of the summit was a powerful message that while TikTok is a vibrant space for creativity, fun, and self-expression, digital well-being must be a shared responsibility. The platform recognises that alongside the joy and entertainment, there can also be harmful behaviours that impact users’ experience.
The summit reflects TikTok’s ongoing commitment to tackling these challenges head-on and creating a safer, more supportive environment for its global community.